By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The St. Joseph Sports Commission, in partnership with the Junior League of St. Joseph, announced the creation of the inaugural St. Joseph, Missouri Marathon which will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2023.
The race will feature five different distances for participants to choose from, including a full marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles), 10K race (6.2 miles), 5K race (3.1 miles) and a relay team element that encompasses the full route. Full marathon participants will have the opportunity to achieve a Boston Marathon qualifying time as the course will be officially certified.
This scenic and challenging race route, which begins and ends behind Civic Center Park in downtown St. Joseph, will take participants from north to south. The route includes numerous St. Joseph landmarks like Krug Park, Hyde Park, Lovers Lane, Ashland Avenue, Pony Express Museum, the Museum Hill Area, all incorporating the 12 miles of the city’s historic parkway system.
Race weekend begins with a Packet Pick-Up Community and Fitness Expo which will be held at Civic Arena on Friday, September 22. On race day, pre and post event activities will be staged in Civic Center Park within easy access to the start and finish line.
“In the continued quest of creating or attracting events that have interest, fit and niche in our community, the establishment of a true, community wide, marathon type of event quickly gained traction among many earlier this year,” said Brett Esely, Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.
“The vision for this event not only encompasses our local and regional running community but will be a true tourism event that will potentially attract participants from all over the country. These events are major undertakings with a lot of moving parts, hundreds of volunteers, people working together and is a great way to showcase our community.”
The partnership with Junior League of St. Joseph expands on a decade-long foundation they’ve created with the former Pony Express Run, which included a half marathon and most recently a 5K race.
A portion of the St. Joseph Marathon’s proceeds will benefit Junior League’s initiatives which include; Cinderella’s Closet, Hope Totes, Community Assistance and Literacy Grants along with their support of the United Way of Greater St. Joseph.
Registration and pricing information for the St. Joseph Marathon will be announced and open in mid-January 2023.
Sponsorship and expo booth information will also be available at that time. Volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups will be available in early spring.